Shooting Photos At A Concert? This Apple Patent Will Stop You

Shooting photos or recording videos at music concerts may be history soon. Apple has been granted a new patent that will prevent people from taking photos at concerts and sensitive places.

The technology used involves infrared signal detection technique. The concert organizers can place the devices, which emit infrared rays, on the stage and the iPhone cameras, upon detecting the rays, will disallow photography or recording. It is still unclear that how this will affect taking selfies.

For instance, an infrared emitter can be situated in areas where picture or video capture is prohibited, and the emitter can generate infrared signals with encoded data that includes commands to disable the recording functions of devices. An electronic device can then receive the infrared signals, decode the data and temporarily disable the device’s recording function based on the command.

The devices will also have a provision where some establishments can allow photography but impose a watermark on all images.

In some versions, a device may apply a watermark to detected images as an alternative to completely disabling a recording function. For example, a device may receive infrared signals with encoded data that includes a command to apply a watermark to detected images.

The patent, which was originally filed in 2011, was finally granted this year. There are some concerns about unauthorized infrared tracking and how that can be prevented. And also about the validity of the authority to prevent taking photos and videos.

Apple recently filed another patent which is related to the usability of the iPhone with one hand. This patent states that the iPhone will detect which hand you are holding your phone with and accordingly switch icons and menus for the ease of use. Another patent by Apple shows that in the future, iPhones could have a wraparound display.